Traditional background

Our village huts style. This is an old and respected tradition

Kora music: while the instrument is not played where I come from, its sound is similar to Inanga played in our villages. Kora music is part of ancient tradition among the Mandika people of Western Africa.

Music is part of our faith and culture, it is our source of hope and resilience. We celebrate in happy time and sing and dance in difficult time.

This is my hero musician. My village neighbour and elder, he plays the Inanga, zither, a famous music instrument from Burundi, Rwanda and Congo (cattle herders’ tribes). It is made from a piece of wood carved with a shallow bowl and decorated with small star and slits the pierce the bowl completely. On either end notches are carved. A single fibre or gut string is then woven back and forth across the instrument to form up to eight strings. It has an amazing sound and it is accompanied by traditional poems and tales.

Beautiful arts work from Rwanda.

Cattle herding. Where I come from, cattle tradition is almost equal to humans. They are symbol of our pride, social and cultural status.

Our village huts construction style (photograph courtesy of Children in Crisis).

This is how we extract butter. The traditional object being used is called Igisabo. Probably the most precious thing in my home. My mother would use this once every two months, while extract butter, she would sing beautiful songs to go with Igisabo rythm.

Arts works

this is a paradise and an ideal life in modern context. Villagers are connected socially, share what they have and give support to one another in harmony. Elders create fair laws for the community, integrity and dignity is key standards here.

This how it all start when building a hut. While the hut itself is so basic in comparason to a modern house, it is an incredible arts work. It require some precisions and beautification. It is built with special sticks, mud and dung. When working on roof, only specialists can perform this piece of work. I love helping my dad to build huts.

Inkogoro is a precious traditional instrument served as milk pot. It is kept at the most precious place in the hut. Milk is beyond just a drink but it is symbol of integrity, wisdom, wellbeing and wealth. There so many rituals around how to keep milk.

Unlike in modern societies, among Banyamulenge people, elders are greatest leaders. They gather around together to share a drink and debate on social situations and create traditional laws. They are the greatest role models.

A precious object mainly used in for harvesting beans. Our villages are situated in one of most fertile places, with great seasons allowing villagers to grow so many species of beans and other crops. This traditional instrument is also used to keep the first harvest collection which is brought to a pastor to pray and bless the crops. It is also used to keep seeds for a following season.